Starting device



May l, 1945- w. L. KlsEL ET AL I 2,374,685

STARTING DEVICE FledMarch l2, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May l, '1945. w.KlssEl. ET Al.

STARTINGDEVICE Filed March l2, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 1, 1945.

w. l.. KlssEy. x-:Tv AL STARTING DEVICE Filed March l2, 1942 -3Sheets-Sheet 3 'D ve/fors WaZZza/m .jzlsseZ Herma/z Bibl/7267' L., www

lo/wg Patented May l, 19475V STARTING DEVICE William L. Kissel andHerman D. Palmer, Hartford, Wis., assignors, by mesne assignments, toWest Bend Aluminum Co., West Bend, Wis., a corporation of WisconsinApplication March 12, 1942, Serial No. 434,330

16 Claims.

The invention relates generally to starting devices for internalcombustion engines and more particularly to a starting device for anoutboard marine motor. f l

'I'he general object of the invention is to provide a novel startingdevice which is simple to operate and inexpensive to manufacture, andwhich sufciently rotates the crank shaft oi the motor to eect rapidstarting. f

It is also an object to provide a starting device which is soconstructed as to be released from driving engagement with the motor incase of backfire of the latter so as to avoid damage to the startingdevice or injury to the operator.

Another object is to provide 'a starting` device a major portion ofwhich may be readily removed from the motor in case of `damage to thedevice, leaving portions attached to the motor about which a rope may beWound to start the motor in the heretofore usual manner.

A further object isto providea starting device having a manually rotatedpart movable axially of the motor by such rotation into drivingengagement with a part rotating with the motor to effect starting, andautomatically movable in the opposite direction after the motor` isstartedy so that it moves out of the wayl of the part rotating with themotor.

Astill further object is toprovide a starting device having a manuallyrotated part movable the position of the parts immediately after theline 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing the parts of the device when in positionrto start the motor.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 3 but showing thepositionof the parts just after the motor has been started and beforethe parts have returned to their idle position.

Fig. 5 is atop View showing parts of the device attached to the motorafter a detachable portion has been removed.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3 but showing partsthatremain permanently attached to the motor after a detachable portionhas been removed.

Fig.v 7 Ais a vertical sectional'view similar to Fig. 2 but showing amodified form of the device with the device in its idle position.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the modified form andshowing the position of the parts during the starting` of the motor. v

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing motor has started.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the portion of the modified `form of startingdevice that remains permanently attached to the motor after thedetachable portion thereof has been removed.

A starting device embodying the features of the invention is adapted foruse in starting an inas aforesaid, with the part rotating with the motorhaving yielding means to provide the engagement between it and themanually rotated, part, said yielding means being so arranged as to bemoved out of the way of thev manually rotated part until the latter hasmoved axiallyfar enough to clear the yielding means. K

Still another object. is to provide a starting device having yieldingmeans serving the abovementioned function and also serving to provide arelease between the manually rotated part and the part fixed to themotor in case of backfire.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which: y v I Figure 1 is a plan View partially in section of a startingdevice embodying the features ofthe invention and showing a portion ofan outboard motor to which-it is attached.I

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along vthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1and showing the starting ternal combustion engine and in the form illus#trated is primarily adapted. for use onan outboard motor. In the presentinstance, the portion of the outboard motor shown in the drawingslcomprises a part rotatable with the motor, such Y as a magneto 20, anda fixed structure such as a' gasoline tank 2l surrounding the magneto-20. The starting device is mounted on these parts of the outboard motorand is adapted to rotate the magneto 20 and therebystart the motor.

The starting device comprises generally a member rigidly secured to themagneto and a manually rotatable member movable longitufl dinally duringthe first part of its rotation into engagement with the iirst-mentionedmember and thereafter causing rotation of said first.n mentioned member-The manually rotatable member is in the form of a pulley around which iswrapped a rope, 4the latter being adapted to be pulled to cause rotationthereof. The pulley is so supported'that it is caused to movelongitudinally during the first part Aof its rotation so that it willmove into engagement with the f member 'Xed to the magneto. After suchengagement is effected, continuedrotation of the pulley rotates thefirst-mentioned member and the magneto Asufliciently to start the motor,but

longitudinal movement of the pulley is prevented by such engagement. l

To support the manually yrotatable member or pulley for such movement, astud is provided which is rotatably supported blut is provided l withfriction means tending to prevent rotation of the stud. The stud and thepulley havev y a threaded engagement. Thus rotation ofthe pulley iirstcauses it to movealong the thread of the stud since the latter is heldagainst rotation by the friction means. However, when the pulley engagesthe member attached Vto `the magneto, the pulley can no longer movelongitudinally .and the pulley .and stlldrotateftogether, overcoming theresistance ioffthe friction means.

In order to move the pulley longitudinallyout of engagement with themember attached tothe magneto after the motor is' started, a -tQrSionspring is provided which is wound up' by the foi-'ward rotation of thepulley. When` the pulley rope'tis released, the torsion spring causes,re-k verse rotationof the pulley land the latter moves longitudinallyout of engagementtvith the member `attached to the magneto Aby vvirtueof the threaded engagement with the stud. 'At the the continuedVrotation thereof to complete 'the winding of thev rope. f

@ne of the prominent features of the invention lies in the'fact that incase of breakage or damage to any 'partof the starting device the majorportion thereof may be' readily removed from the orutboard motor,leaving structure ohout which o rope may be wrapped in the heretofor'elionel manner to start the motor. To this end the pulley with itstorsion spring and the Stud are carried by a Cover which is removablySecured' to a fixed portion fof the-outboard motor Such oe the tankStruoturei. When these parte are'removed, the member attached to themagneto 20 remains and is accessible. This member' is iormed with a,.flange So positioned relative to .the magneto 20 as .to provideY there-With a peripheral groove within which o rope may he wrapped to Stort the.motor ih the mahner heretofore .generally employed. Y

VDriving'engagement between the vmember securedl to' lme magneto and thepulley ijs provided by means of a plurality ofspringngers carried bysaid member'and adapted to be engaged bvy'lugs on the pulley. ThllS asthe pulley moves longitudinally,towardthe member. the

lugs move .downwardly into engagement with such lingers. When the motoris started, it rotates at such speed that there is not time for thenlllley to move upwardly 'on its threaded connection with the lstud soythat the lugs and spring lingers Willmmediately clear. For-this reasonthe springv fingers lo n theirback faces are provided with cam surfaceslvvhichare engaged by the lues to force. the ,snrinexnsers out ofthe Wayandy permit they pulley to remain stationary or be reverely rotatedWhile the member is rotated forwafldly'by the engine. Howeven as soonvas the pulley hask rotated suliiciently to move it volores the threadofthe'Stud; the lugs ,motor.

on the pulley no longer engage the spring fingers. v

Another prominent feature of the invention lies in the provision'madefor backre of the To permit the starter to be released in case of suchbackfire, frictional engagement of certain parts of the deviceisprovided 'suchthat ythe friction thereof isystrong enough to resist anyslippage whenr the pulley is rotated by means of its rope. However, whena backfire occurs,

the forces exerted are sudden and slippage may v occur so that thepulley will not be driven inra Yreverse direction by the motor. In thepreferred form of the device, the spring fingers are provided withsloping surfaces, engaged by the lugs, which are ,sufciently steeptonormally-ef- A fectv dri'ving engagement by the lugs on the pulleywhen the .pulley is rotated by means of its rope. However, with theforce of a backfire, the steeply sloping surfaces of the spring fingerscause a Comming action-against the lugs of the pulley and the springsare forced out of the Way. In the modiiied form of. the devicesnown inFigs. 7, 8, 9, and l0J the member .attached to the magneto has o.friotional engagement therewith .and the loackre overcomes suchfrictional engagement to release .the pulley from the .member.

As shown in the drawings, the preferred form ofA the device isAillustrated irlFigs.- l to 6, lnclusive. This form comprises a vmemberin the form of a plate 22 arranged to .rotate with the magneto 2.0. Tothis end the plate 22 is. orovided with a vsocket .23 in. its lower facefitting .overa central boss. :24 on the. magneto, and the plate 42i?v isheld in place'by means of a plurality o f screws 25 threaded linto theboss 24.-

.Mounted over the ,plate 22 is a pulley, `indicated Agenerally at 30,arranged so that it may be manually rotated and, .by such rotation,caused ,first to move longitudinally intoengagement `.with the plate 22Vand then effect rotation of the plate bears against the hub 35 of thealone With the motor 'to .start the latter.. To provide for suchmovement of the pulley it is mounted .ofna studyindioated generally at3| The .stud is provided with asteepnitch thread 32 Within a huhportionl 33 of the pulley, and friction means' are provided tending tohold the stud 3l against rotation. Thus when the pulley an is rotatedit'rst moves longitudinally .or kaxially by virtueV of the thread y32until it [engages the Plaie `22- Thereafter oooh engagement preventsfurther longitudinal movement of the -pulley 30 and further rotationthereof overcomes the resistance of vthe friction means S0 that the studYmay rota-te with 'thepulley'in starting the motor.

The stud 3| preferably has Ya reduced upper end portion v3l extendingthrough a hub 35 of a cover', indicated generally at 35, suitableantifriction bushings being interposed therebetween. The u ppegr-v endof the 'reduced' portion 34v is threaded to receive `a pair of vlock'nutsllll-l The friction means comprises preferably a flatwasher l 4|-,interposed between the nuts 40 and the hub 35 of `the cover, and aslightly dished spring washer 42 thereunder. rThe spring Washer 42 ycover and against the' flat washerV 4l and thereby sets up frictionalresistance to rotation of the stub shaft v3 I. Thus, when the pulley isrotated in a forward direction, the spring washer 42 holds nthe studshaft 3| 'against rotation and causes the pulley 30 totmove 4dovvn alongthe thread 32 until the 'pulley en'- gages the plate`22. Whenesuchehgagemeneoccurs, longitudinal movement of the pulley 30 is y vpreventedso that further rotation thereof causes the stub -shaft 3l to rotate byovercoming the frictional resistance of the spring washer 42.

Driving engagement between the pulley 36 and the plate 22 is effected bymeans of a plurality of spring fingers 43 carried by the plate 22.Preferably such spring fingers are secured to a ange 44 formed on theplate 22 and having a plurality of notches 45 through which bentportions of the spring fingers A43 project upwardly. The bent portionsof the spring fingers are adaptedto be engaged by lugs 46 formed on thebottom of the pulley.` Since the lugs 46 will be subjected toconsiderable wear it is desirable to make them of such material asbronze. However, it is not necessary to make the entire pulley of bronzeand preferably the main portion of the pulley is made of aluminum.Therefore the upper ange of the pulley andthe hub 33 thereof 'are madeof aluminum while the lower flange,

indicated at 41, together with thelugs 36 integrally cast thereon aremade of bronze, the lower flange 41 being secured to the upper flange asby screws 48, I

The pulley 36, as mentioned above, is adapted to be rotated by a ropeand after each time the pulley is forwardly rotated by pulling on therope, the rope must be rewound. To this end a torsion spring 56 ismounted on the upper surface of the pulley 36 and has its inner endvattached to the be readily pulled. After the rope is pulled rout to itsfull length to cause the pulley to rotate in aforward direction, therope is released and the torsion spring 56 thereupon causes it to rewindon the pulley, drawing the handle 51 into a seated position in the guideportion 56.

One of the important features of the invention lies in the provision ofa structure whereby the pulley is released from the engine in case of1.0 backfire so'that the pulley will not be reversely rotated by theengine. `Such reverse rotation might cause damage to the starter orbreak the `rope 55, or even cause injury to the operator. To effect suchrelease upon backfire of the motor,

l5 in the preferredv formthe yspring iingers43 are provided on theirforward faces with steeply slanting surfaces 60. The angle of such faceswhen cooperating with the lugs 41 offer sufficient frictionalresistance, when the pulleyis turned by pulling the rope, to avoid anycamming action /46 may pass thereover.v Thus the pulley is re-l hub 33of the pulley as by being bent around a pin 5I and its outer end fixedas by being secured toa pin 52 mounted in an internal flange 5,3 of thecover 36. The spring is so arranged that as the pulley is rotatedforwardly by the rope, the spring is tensioned or-wound up. When therope is released after pulling it out to its full length, the spring 5Dcauses reverse rotation of the pulley.

Such reverse rotation of the pulley also serves to move it out ofengagement with the plate 22.

. Thus during the first part of the reverse rotation the friction washer42 holds the stud 3l against rotation and the pulley moves upwardlyalong the thread 32. Since such longitudinal movement 45 only requires asmall portion of the total rotation of the pulley necessary to rewindthe rope, ythe spring 56 is strong enough thereafter to cause the pulleyand stud shaft 3l yto rotate together, overcoming the resistance of thefriction washer When the motor is started, the rotation thereof is suchthat the lugs 46 do not have timeto move upwardly out of a positionwhere they are engaged by the spring fingers 43. vTherefore the bentportions of the spring lingers 43 are provided Ion their back faces withslightly slanting surfaces 54 which when they strikethe lugs cause thespring fingers to be cammed downwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, sothat'theymay pass the lugs 46. To facilitate such camming action, thelugs 46 are triangular in cross section. However, the reverse rotationof the pulley quickly moves the pulley sufficiently far from the plate22 so that the lugs 46 no longer will contact the spring 65 fingers 43.

The rope forl rotating the pulley,` indicated at 55, is long enough toprovide for several turns around the pulley, as is clearly shown in Fig.2. The inner end of the rope is anchored to the pulley, while the outerend extends tangentially therefrom through a guide portion 56 formed inthe cover 36 so as to extend to an outside accessible position. On theouter end of the rope 55 a handle 51 is secured so that the rope may 35heretofore usual for such motors.

on the spring fingers. However, under the sharp powerful impulse causedby a backfire, a camming action takes place therebetween and the springfingers are forced downwardly so that `the lugs leased from the rplate22 so thatr it will not be reversely rotated undersuch conditions. As aconsequence no dam-age to the starting-device will occur as a result ofbackfire. Another prominent feature of the invention lies in the factthat, should the starting device be disabled for -any reason, the majorportion thereof maybe readily removed from' the motor and the motor maythen be started in a manner To provide for such feature, the coverv36 isdetachably secured to a xed portion of the motor, such as the gas tankstructure 2|, as by screws 6 I the cover is removed, the pulley 30 and astub 40 shaft 3| are removed withit as a unit, leaving exposed the plate22 attached to the magneto 20.

The plate 22 is so constructed as to provide aA peripheral groovebetween the flange 44and the end face of the magneto within which aropeg62 may be wrapped. To secure such rope to the plate 22, notches 63may be provided in the flange 44, in which the knotted end of the ropemaybe secured. Thus the plate 22, together with the magneto, may berotated in a forward direction whena rope so wrapped under the iiange 44is pulled.

` In themodied form of construction shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10, thespring fingers, here`in dicated at 64, have transversely extendingAfaces V65 adapted to engage the lugs 66 on the pulley. However, suchtransversely extending surfaces do not provide for release in case ofbackfire. Such release, however, is attained by frictionally securingthe plate 22 to the ymagneto 26. Thus the plate 22 instead of beingrigidly vsecured to the magneto by screws, is provided with an linwardlyturned flange 10 held under a securing plate 1l rigidly secured to themagneto as by screws 12. interposed between the flange 10 and the upperface of the magneto is a dished spring plate 13offering suicientfrictional resistance normally to prevent relative rotation between theplate 22 and the magneto 26. However, the sharp impulse of a backfirewill overcome the frictional resistance offered by the spring plate 13vso that the magneto 26 can rotate in a reverse direction withoutcarrying with it the plate 22and the other rotating parts of thestarter.

From* the foregoing description, it will beapparent that wehave'provided a novel starting dereleased in case of backfirel so thatthe device 'will notI be damaged in. any way. in .the

preferred form, theV .spring-fingers 43 with-their steeply Slanting.surf-aceto normally provide a Vdriving engagement, between the pulley3.0 and the plate 22 but permit a release therebetween in case ofbacknre, .the spring lingers being vcammed out of the way so that thelugs 46 may pass thereover. l'

In the normal starting operation, the pulley nrst moves downwardly byvirtue of the thread the stub shaft 3| `being held by" the frictionspring Washer 42. The'pu-lley then causes rotation of the plate 22 alongwith the motor. After the motor has started, thethread32 causes thereverse rotation of the pulley to move it upwardly to, an idle'position.However, in the meantime, the cam surfaces 54 on the spring fingerspermit the latter to be pushed out of the way of the lugs 46 as themotor rotates relative to the pulley. The device is` particularlyconvenient in use since if it becomes disabled in anyway it may bereadily" removed merely by taking olf the cover 36 togetber with themaior portion of the starting device. The plate 22 then has provisionfor wrappinga rope therearound in the way hereto,-

V fore employed in starting a motor.

The device is simple to operate, and as, will be apparent,` isinexpensive to manufacture. It

eliniinatesv the necessity of winding a rope around a pulley each timeit is desi-red to rotate the motor, and is capable of suiicientlyturning the ino-torto elTect rapid starting thereof.

We claim as our invention; f 1* 1. A starting device of the characterdescribed comprising, in combination, al member rotatable with thevmotor, a threaded studl rotatable inden vpen-dently of the motor, meansfor rotatably sup.-

porting said stud but tending to restrain the stud from rotation, andl amanually operablev rotatable ymember having threaded engagement withsaid stud and being adapted on rotation to move 1ongitudinally of saidstud into engagement with the first-mentionedI member and vthen torotate said mst-mentioned: member.

2. A` starting device of the character described comprising, incombination, a member rotatable with the motor, a rotatably mounted studindependent of said motor, means for rotatablysupporting said stud, anda manually rotatedmember having threaded engagement with said stud,

said stud being frictio'nally held by saidmeans. against rotation untilsaid last-mentionedmem.- i

berr has. moved longitudinally thereof by` virtue of the threadedconnection to. eiect engagement of said members and thereafter rotatingwith said 3. A starting device of the character described comprising, incombination, a pair of members one being connected to the engine and theother being manually rotatable, supporting meanszior said manuallyrotatable member arranged on initial rotation of said member to coactwith said manually rotatable member toV move the latter longitudinallyuntil engaged with theol-,her member andr thereafter permitting saidmembers to movein unison. A l

LA starting device of the character described comprising, incombination, a member secured to. a. rotating part of the engine,l atrame structure, a stud rotatably butrictgionally mountedi'f,1 saidframe structure coaxial' withA the engine, a member mounted on said studand normally V aeration 'y f i v y spaced fromthenrst-mentioned' member,said last-mentioned memberqand said stud having a threaded engagementwhereby rotation of the last-mentioned member will cause it to move intoengagement with the inst-mentioned member, and whereby thereafter saidlast-mentioned member and said stud rotate together to start the motor.

means tensioned by the rotation of said manually rotatable member to.cause reverse rotation of the latter, such `reverse rotation rst causingthe manually rotatable member to move longitudinally out of engagementwith the other memberr by virtueof the threadedv engagement with thestud. f. i

6. A starting device of the character described comprising, incombination, a member secured to a rotatable part ,of themotor, a framestructure, a stud. frictionally but rotatably carried by said framestructure,l a Pulley having threaded en' gagement with said stud, `saidpulley and said member being adapted to be engaged by longitudinalmovementv of said pulley along said stud, rotation of said pulley firsteffecting such longitudinal movement by virtue of the threadedengagement and thereafter causing rotation of'said stud when said pulleyand said member are in driving engagement,` and a torsionA springvhaving one end connected to said framestructure and' the other endconnected to said pulley and adapted to be tensioned when said pulley isrotated tostart the motor, said tors'lonspring upon release of' saidpulley causing reverse rotation thereofl to move the pulleylongitudinally out of engagement with vsaid member by virtue of thethreaded engagement thereof with the stud.

7. A starting device ofthe character described comprising, incombination, a member xed to a rotatable part of; the engine, a coverstructure,

' a stud frictionall-y but rotatably carriedv by said covers-tructure, apulley adapted to be manually rotat'edby a rope wound' thereon, said`pulley being threaded on said stud and adapted to move longitudinallythereof into driving engagement with said' member whenrotated by vsaidrope, and a torsion springv having its outer end .secured to said coverstructurev a-nd its inner end` secured to` said.' pulley and adapted tobe Woundl when the pulley is rotated bythe rope, said torsion springcausing reverse rotation of said pulley upon re'- leaseiv of theropeand.' thereby causing the 'pulley to. move longitudinally away fromsaid member by virtue of the threaded engagement between theV pulleyand; the stud.'

8 Astarting device of vthe character described comprising. incombination, a member secured to arotatable Dart of the motor, a coverstructure having; a Ycentrally located hub, a studv rotatably mountedinsaid'lnib, friction means interposed between. said stud 'and' said hubtending to resist rotation of Said stud; a ypulley .having ythreadedengagement with said stud and adapted tovmove longitudinally intoengagement with said member by virtue,of the threaded engagement, theengagement of said pulley and said member preventing furtherlongitudinal movement of the pulley and thereby overcoming thefrictional resistance of said friction means to permit the stud torotate with the pulley.

9. A starting device of the character described comprising, incombination, a member secured to a rotatable part of the engine andprovided with abutments, a manually rotatable member movablelongitudinally and provided with abutments for driving engagement withthe abutments on said first-mentioned member, a stud having threadedengagement. with said manually rotatable member to provide forlongitudinal movement of the latter upon rotation thereof, where-- bythe abutments on the respective members may be moved into and out ofengagement with each other, one of said sets of abutments beingyieldable to permit them to pass the other set after the motor isstarted in case the manually rota-- table member has not movedlongitudinally sufriciently for the abutments to clear.

10. A starting device of the character described comprising, incombination, a plate secured to a rotatable part of the motor andprovided with a plurality of upwardly bent spring lingers, amanuallyrotatable member provided with a plurality of lugs adapted toengage said spring lingers, means for supporting said member arranged tocause the member to move longitudinally toward said plate when themember is rotated in one direction and to move longitudinally away fromsaid plate when rotated in the other direction whereby said lugs aremoved into and out of engagement with said spring fingers, said springlingers being yieldable to permit them to passsaid lugs when the engineis started in case the member has not moved far enough longitudinally topermit clearance between the lugs and lingers.

l1. A starting device of the character described comprising, inCombination, a plate secured to a rotatable part of the engine andprovided with a plurality of spring lingers each bent l upwardly toprovide an abutting face and a camming face on opposite sides of thebend, a manu ally rotatable member provided with a plurality of lugs forengaging said spring lingers, and means for supporting said member andarranged to cause said member to move toward said plate with said lugsengaging said abutting faces when the member is rotated in one directionand to cause said member to move longitudinally out of engagement whenthe member is rotated in the opposite direction, said cam surfacescausing the ngers to yield and pass said lugs when the motor has starteduntil said member has moved longitudinally far enough for said lugs toclear said lingers.

12. A starting device of the character described comprising, incombination, a plate secured to a rotatable part of the engine andprovided with a plurality of spring lingers, a manually rotatable pulleymounted for rotation and longitudinal movement toward and from saidplate, the liange of said pulley adjacent said plate being provided withlugs adapted to engage said spring fingers, said liange and lugs being aseparate part from: the pulley proper but secured thereto and being madeof relativelyv plate being so mounted on the rotatable part of the motoras to provide space for a rope to be wrapped between said plate and saidrotatable part for starting the motor.

14. A starting device of the character described comprising, incombination, a plate secured to a rotatable part of the engine andprovided with a plurality of upwardly bent spring fingers, the upwardbend of each linger having a steeply in clined face and a slightlyinclined face, a manually rotatable member provided witha plurality oflugs adapted to engage against the steeply inclined faces of said springlingers to start the motor, the steep inclination of said face normal--ly providing sufcient resistance to avoid flexing the fingers during thestarting of the motor but providing a cammingl action to bend thelingers out of the way of the lugs in case of backre `of the motor, theslightly inclined faces causing the spring ngers to flex and pass thelugs after vthe motor is started.

vl5. A starting device of the character described comprising, incombination, a plate secured to a rotatable part of the engine andprovided with a plurality of yieldable abutments, a manually rotatablemember adapted to be moved longitudinally toward the first-mentionedmember and provided with lugs engageable by such longitudinal movementwith saidyieldable abutments,- each of said yieldable abutments having aface of suliicient angularity normally to elect driving engagementI witha lug to cause rotation of thev engine but adapted to cause the abutmentto yield and pass the lug upon backfire of the motor.

16. A starting device of the character described comprising a `platehaving a frictional connection with a rotatable part of the engine, aplurality of spring lingers secured to said plate and having upwardlybent portions, a manually rotatable member adapted to movelongitudinally toward said plate and provided with a plurality of lugsadapted to engage the bent portions of said spring fingers, said springlingers having substantially transverse faces on the bent portionsengaged by said lugs when the manually rotatable member is rotated in aforward direction to start the motor and having slanting faces on theother sides of said bent portions adapted to be engaged by said lugs tocam the lingers out of the way after the motor has started, the frictionof said connection between said plate and the rotatable part of saidengine being overcome in case of backfire to prevent positive reversero-A tation of the manually rotatable member.

WILLIAM L. mssEL. HERMAN D. PALMER.

